As a service business you face a different challenge than someone who sells a physical product like soap or breakfast bars. You and your team are the product and, unlike a bottle of lotion, your services are:
- more expensive,
- intangible, and
- sold before they are produced.
This as you can see is a totally different business model and interaction, but as in every business there are important factors for success. As a professional service business, your success hinges on these two factors:
- the relationships you form and
- the quality of your work.
You must focus all your efforts on those factors if you want to succeed.
Without a relationship—something that enables you to bypass competitors and create top of mind positioning—you don’t have a chance. And without quality work—something that creates positive buzz throughout invisible networks—you don’t have a chance.
The time is right now for those who provide a professional service to focus all your efforts on those two factors. The battle in the professional service market is no longer just about vying for a sale; it is about competing for relationships so you can have lifetime value.